Search Help

How does this work?
There are many ways to search the collections of the Freedom Archives. Below is a brief guide that will help you conduct effective searches. Note, anytime you search for anything in the Freedom Archives, the first results that appear will be our digitized items. Information for items that have yet to be scanned or yet to be digitized can still be viewed, but only by clicking on the show link that will display the hidden (non-digitized) items. If you are interested in accessing these non-digitized materials, please email info@freedomarchives.org.
Exploring the Collections without the Search Bar
Under the heading Browse By Collection, you’ll notice most of the Freedom Archives’ major collections. These collections have an image as well as a short description of what you’ll find in that collection. Click on that image to instantly explore that specific collection.
Basic Searching
You can always type what you’re looking for into the search bar. Certain searches may generate hundreds of results, so sometimes it will help to use quotation marks to help narrow down your results. For instance, searching for the phrase Black Liberation will generate all of our holdings that contain the words Black and Liberation, while searching for “Black Liberation” (in quotation marks) will only generate our records that have those two words next to each other.
Advanced Searching
The Freedom Archives search site also understands Boolean search logic. Click on this link for a brief tutorial on how to use Boolean search logic. Our search function also understands “fuzzy searches.” Fuzzy searches utilize the (*) and will find matches even when users misspell words or enter in only partial words for the search. For example, searching for liber* will produce results for liberation/liberate/liberates/etc.
Keyword Searches
You’ll notice that under the heading KEYWORDS, there are a number of words, phrases or names that describe content. Sometimes these are also called “tags.” Clicking on these words is essentially the same as conducting a basic search.

Search Results

Mission Artists: Editorial Pocho-Che Mission Artists: Editorial Pocho-Che
Date: 2/12/1972Call Number: RP 009Format: 1/4 7 1/2 ipsProducers: Emiliano EcheverriaCollection: Reflecciones de la Raza by Comunicacion Aztlan
Mission Artists read poetry and play music. SENSITIVE LANGUAGE. Featuring poets Roberto Vargas, Elias Hruska Cortes, Alejandro Murgia; and musicians Richard Carrillo (guitar) and Nero de Grazia (Congas). Mission Arts Alliance and Writers Workshop.
Reverend Father Ernesto Cardenal Martínez- Sandinista poet Reverend Father Ernesto Cardenal Martínez- Sandinista poet
Date: 11/30/1990Call Number: JG/ 078Format: CassetteProducers: Judy GerberProgram: A Defiant HeartCollection: Programs produced by Judy Gerber and Laurie Simms
Reverend Father Ernesto Cardenal Martínez, Sandinista priest, reads his poetry in San Francisco in promotion of his new book.
After the Earthquake/ Después del Terremoto After the Earthquake/ Después del Terremoto
Date: 1/1/1979Call Number: CD 513Format: DVDProducers: Lourdes Portillo, Nina SerranoCollection: Compact discs and videos representing digitized copies of analog tapes
The story of Central American immigrants and exiles is set in San Francisco California's barrio. A young woman, Irene, faces adjustment and survival working as a house cleaner. Her former boyfriend, Julio, suddenly reappears in her life. Julio is now an exiled, recently released, political prisoner. Irene must confront the cultural changes in her life to redefine their relationship.
Mission Artists: Editorial Pocho-Che Mission Artists: Editorial Pocho-Che
Date: 2/12/1972Call Number: CD 571Format: 1/4 7 1/2 ipsProducers: Emiliano EcheverriaCollection: Compact discs and videos representing digitized copies of analog tapes
Mission Artists read poetry and play music. SENSITIVE LANGUAGE. Featuring poets Roberto Vargas, Elias Hruska Cortes, Alejandro Murgia; and musicians Richard Carrillo (guitar) and Nero de Grazia (Congas). Mission Arts Alliance and Writers Workshop.
Gay and Lesbian Anti-Recruiters Gay and Lesbian Anti-Recruiters
Date: 9/25/1987Call Number: V 423Format: VHSCollection: Videos in many formats – both camera originals as well as reference materials
Gay and Lesbian anti recruiters protest outside of the Armed Forces Recruiting Center in downtown SF. Carrying banners stating “No Contra Aid” and “No US Intervention in Latin America” and chanting “We’re Dykes and Fags and we’re here to say: Down with the army and CIA” The protesters smear the door and windows of the recruitment center with yellow and red paint protesting US intervention in El Salvador and Honduras. G/L anti recruiters momentarily block the recruitment centers door, but they disperse as SFPD arrive.
Gay and Lesbian Anti-Recruiters - Raw Material Gay and Lesbian Anti-Recruiters - Raw Material
Date: 9/25/1987Call Number: V 425Format: VHSCollection: Videos in many formats – both camera originals as well as reference materials
Gay and Lesbian anti recruiters protest outside of the Armed Forces Recruiting Center in downtown SF. Carrying banners stating “No Contra Aid” and “No US Intervention in Latin America” and chanting “We’re Dykes and Fags and we’re here to say: Down with the army and CIA” The protesters smear the door and windows of the recruitment center with yellow and red paint protesting US intervention in El Salvador and Honduras. G/L anti recruiters momentarily block the recruitment centers door, but they disperse as SFPD arrive.
Gay and Lesbian Anti-Recruiters - Long Version Gay and Lesbian Anti-Recruiters - Long Version
Date: 9/25/1987Call Number: V 426Format: VHSCollection: Videos in many formats – both camera originals as well as reference materials
Gay and Lesbian anti recruiters protest outside of the Armed Forces Recruiting Center in downtown SF. Carrying banners stating “No Contra Aid” and “No US Intervention in Latin America” and chanting “We’re Dykes and Fags and we’re here to say: Down with the army and CIA” The protesters smear the door and windows of the recruitment center with yellow and red paint protesting US intervention in El Salvador and Honduras. G/L anti recruiters momentarily block the recruitment centers door, but they disperse as SFPD arrive.